Vamp gauge for punching machines



H. R. STANBON. VAMP GAUGE FOR PUNCHING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY19, 1919.

iflAfiQfi *7, Patented 001; 3 1922,

Patented (Dot. 3, TQEE.

un a

HARRY It. STANBON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T UNITED SHOEMACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON,

OF NEW JERSEY.

NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION 'VMZIP GAUGE FOR PUNCEING MACHINES.

Application filed May 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY R. STANBON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and Stateof Massachusetts, haveinvented certain Tmprovements in Vamp Gauges for Punching Machines, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawingsindicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to a device for facilitating presentation of apiece of work in osition to be operated upon and is herein illustratedas embodied in a device designed to facilitate the presentation of avamp to the operating tool of a punching machine.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is customary to ornamentcertain parts of the uppers by punching designs therein by means of agang punching machine. Machines of this type find their principal use inpunching a row of ornamental holes along that edge of the tip which isattached to the vamp. The proper presentation of tips to receive suchornamentation can be readily secured by providing edge gauges, since theedges of tips. are cut on regular curves of large radius and the radiusof curvature varies little, if at-all, with difl'erent tips. When,however, it is desired to use a pattern punch to ornament portions ofcertain other parts, such for example as the toe portions of vamps,certain difliculties arise, especially since in machines commonly usedfor this work it is impossible to see that portion of the work which isto be operated upon when it has been placed in position to be punched.

In order to promote brevity the problem 40 of properly presenting a vampto receive an ornamental punched pattern in its toe portion will beconsidered. The toe portions of vamps are not cut on regular curves, andtheir outlines difi'er according to whether they are rights or lefts orwhether they are of one size or another. It frequently happens that in asingle factory there may be used several hundred differentvamps,different, that is, in the sense that, if edge 1919. Serial No.298,048.

gauges were used, different settings of the edge gauges would berequired in order tolocate the vamps properly with respect to thepunches. The problem is further complicated by the fact that thelocation of the pattern to be punched is always given as a certaindistance from the center of the throat of the vamp so that additionaladjustment of-*the edge gauges would be required according to whether agiven vamp had a longor a short toe portion. Again, the toe port1o n ofthe vamp is not visible, when in position to be punched. F or these andother reasons, which will appear in the description of the illustrativemachine,it is impractical to make use of edge gauges.

According to the present invention, there is provided improved means forfacilitating presentation of a blank to the mechanism for operating uponit. By placing the blank properly in a holder where it is in full viewof the operator, providing locating means other than edge gauges andthen advancing the holder to the position determined by a stop, theblank may be accurately presented to the operating mechanism.

With such a construction and assuming that the position in which theholder is arrested in its advance toward the operating mechanism isalways the same, it is desirable to provide means for locatingdifferently shaped blanks difierently in the holder. Accordingly anotherfeature of the invention relates to such means. In the illustrativemachine the vamp holder is slidable over a supporting plate toward thepunching mechanism. In front of the holder and adjustably spaced from itis a guide having a straight edge which may be used in connection withcertain marks on the vamp to locate the vamp in the holder. The vamphaving been properly located, the holder with the vamp in it is pushedforward until its movement is arrested by a fixed stop at which time thetoe portion of the vamp is properly located with respect to the punchingmechanism. By varying the space between the guide and the holder, thelocation of the vamp in the holder may be varied and con sequently theposition of presentation of the vamp, which results from moving theholder and vamp forward, until the stop is encountered.

These and other features of the invention, including certain details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied inan illustrative machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawlngsa Fig. l'is a perspective of amachine in which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a perspective showing the punchplate holder and its associatedparts;

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sections showing more particularly thevamp-gauge in its'vamp-receiving and in its vamp-presenting positions.

The illustrative machine, aside from the gauge and its mounting, is ormay be, except as will be pointed out, substantially like that shown inthe patent to Rigby No. 1,113,910. It comprises a punch-plate holder 5which rests upon a suitably constructed portion of the frame 7, apunch-plate 9 which is carried by the punch-plate holder, a dieillustrated as'a series of punches 11 arranged in the pattern shown inFig. 2, a yield'ingly sustained stripper plate 13 provided with holesthrough which the punches may be forced, and a reciprocable platen orpunch block illustrated as a plunger 15. The paper backing strip whichextends over the face of the punch block has been omitted in Figs. 1, 3and 4 to promote clearness in the showing. The punch block isreciprocated from a shaft 17 through a suitable clutch which causes theshaft to make one revolution and then come to rest in the position shownwith the punch block raised as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to permitwithdrawal of the punched blank and presentation of'a succeeding one.The punches in the Rigby machine are shown arranged in a row forpunching tips while those in the present machine are arranged in apattern for punching the toe portion of a vamp. Otherwise the presentmachine, as thus far described, is or may be substantially like that ofRigby and will not be described in detail. It will be understood that ifa portion of a blank is placed on the stripper plate 13 over the punchesand the clutch thrown in, the blank will be punched.

The proper presentation to such a machine of plain tips which are to beperforated along the edge which is to be attached to the vamp, mayreadily'be accomplished by means of edge gauges such as are shown in theRigby machine, since this edge is cut on a circular curve of largeradius and the radius of curvature varies little, if at all, withdifferent tips. When, however, the machine is to be used for punching apattern in certain other parts, difficulties are encountered. In thecase of Vamps for example which are to be ornamented by patterns punchedintheir toe portions, the use of edge gauges is impracticable. The toeportions of Vamps are not cut on regular curves and their outlinesdiffer according to whether they are rights or lefts or whether they areof one size or another. quently happens that in a single factory thereare several hundred different shapes of Vamps, different in the sensethat, if edge gauges were used, several hundred different settings ofthe gauges would be required to locate the punch patterns properly intheir toe portions. It should be noted too, that in a machine of thetype shown it is very diflicult, if not impossible, to see such edgegauges when they are in position beneath the punch block; and obviouslyit is impractical to withdraw the punch-plate holder between operationsand reset the gaugw. A

. further objection to the use of edge gauges arises from the fact thatthe location of the pattern to be punched is always given as a certaindistance from the throat of the vamp so that additional adjustmentswould be required, if edge gauges were used, according to whether a vamphad a long or a short toe portion. For many reasons, then, of which theabove are typical, the proper presentation of Vamps to a patternpunching machine is attended with difiiculty.

In the illustrative machine the vamp is placed in a holder and then theholder, with the vamp in it, is advanced to the punching' mechanismuntil arrested by a fixed stop. The position which the toe portion ofthe vamp then occupies with respect to the punching mechanism willdepend upon the position in which the vamp was initially placed in theholder; and in the present machine means are provided for securing ineach case the proper initial position for the particular vamp which isto be operated upon.

Abutting at its forward end against the stripper plate 13 and yieldinglyheld at the same level as the stripper plate is a support 19 in the formof a plate of sheet metal. This supporting plate might be integral withand merely an extension of the stripper plate since the two platesalways preserve the same relation and are moved up and down in'unison.In the illustrative machine the supporting plate 19 is fastened byscrews 21 to a bar 23 which is fastto the upper ends of a plurality ofpins 25 which are vertically slidable in sockets in the punch-plateholder. Springs 27 encirclethe pins and are of sufiicient strength tosustain the parts in the positions shown, it being understood that whenthe punch block 15 is moved down It fre-' wardly the stripper plate 13and the supportnaeojoee V ing plate 19 are forced downwardly in unisonand that when the unch block rises the plates rise into the positionsshown.

Slidably mounted on the support 19 is a vamp holder comprising a carrier29 and a clamping member in the form of a late 33 which is pivoted atopposite ends to ugs 129 on the carrier, one of the pivots bein shown at32 in Fig. 1. Leaf springs 35, astened at their rear ends to the lugs129, urge the forward end of the clamping plate 33 downwardly so as tohold a vamp inthe manner shown in Fig. 2, a finger-piece 37, fast to theplate furnishing means whereby the plate may be tilted about its pivotsto permit the vamp to be placed in and removed from the holder. Mountedon the supporting plate 19 in advance of the vamp holder is a guidindevice for locating the vamp in the ho der, said. device comprising aguide carrier 39 and a guide, herein shown as a straight edge 41. Theguide carrier 39 is connected with the holder carrier 29 by bars 43provided with slots 45 through which extend loosely the stems of screws47 which are threaded into the lugs 129 of the holder carrier. Springs49, connected at their rear ends to pins 51 on the bars 43 and at theirforward ends to the lugs 129, normally maintain the guide spaced fromthe vamp holder, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the extent of the separationbeing determined by the position of stops 53- which are adjustablymounted on the bars 43. These stops are slotted at 55 to receive thestems of the screws 57 which hold them in adjusted position on the bars43. This variable separation of the guide and the vamp holder providesfor an initial adjustment to suit difi'erent styles of Vamps and thusenables the perforations to be located at difl'erentdistances from thethroats.

Assuming now that a vamp is provided with suitable locating marks suchas 200, which ordinarily vary in position with respect to the throat inaccordance with the sizes, and that, with the illustrated adjustedposition of the stops 53, the vamp is placed in the holder with theforward edge of the guide 41 registering with the marks 200, thelongitudinal position of the vamp in the holder will then be as shown.lf, however, the stops 53 are adjusted backwardly, the vam will protrudefarther forward through the holder than before; and, if the stops areadjusted forwardly, the vamp will not protrude so far forward throughthe holder as before. There is thus provided means for facilitating theaccurate location of the vamp in different positions longitudinally inthe holder, so that when the holder is pushed forwardly toward thepunching mechanism until it is arrested by a fixed stop, the properlocality in the toe portion The operation of the device is as follows:

The operator is furnished with vamps marked in three laces as indicatedand is also furnished with data showing how far from the throats of thevamps the center of the pattern punching is to be located. With thisdata he first sets the stops 53. He next inserts a vamp in the holderwith the marks 200 registering with the forward edge of the guide 41andthe mark 300 registering with the line 400. And then, grasping thevamp holder with his thumbs and forefingers, he pushes the holdertoward. the punching mechanism. Both the guide and the holder moveforward until the guide carrier 39 contacts with and is arrested by thebar 23, which serves as a stop. Thereafter the holder moves forwarduntil its carrier 29 is arrested by-contact with the guide carrier 39,at which time the toe portion of the vamp is properly located withrespect to the punching mechanism, and the punch block 15 is caused todescend. Figs. 2 and 3 show the vamp properly located in the vamp holderready to be advanced. Fig. 4 shows the vamp in position to be punched,the springs 49 being extended, the guide carrier 39 in contact with thebar 23 and the carrier 29 in contact with the carrier 39.

Although the invention has been set forth as embodied in a particularmachine, it

should be understood thatthe invention is not limited in the scope ofits application to the particular machine which has been combination, apunch block mounted to re oiprocate, a stationary gang punch forornamenting a vamp, and a vamp locating member mounted to carry a vampfrom a locating position free and clear of the reciprocating punch blockto a punching position between the punch block and the punch.

3. A machine of the class described, having in combination, mechanismfor operating upon a blank and means for facilitating the presentationof a blank thereto, said means comprising a holder for the blank, meansfor properly locating the blank in the holder, means for moving saidholder toward the operating mechanism, and means for arresting themovement of the holder when the blank has reached the position at whichit is to be acted upon by an operating mechanism.

4. A machine of the class described, having in combination, mechanismfor operating upon a blank and means for facilitating the presentationof a blank thereto, said means comprising a holder for the blank, aguide for properly locating the blank in the holder, said holder beingmovable toward the operating mechanism, and means for arresting themovement of the holder when it has reached a predetermined position.

5. A machine of the class described, having in combination, mechanismfor operating upon a blank and means for facilitating the presentationof 'a blank thereto, said means comprising a holder for the blank, meansfor indicating the proper location of the blank in the holder, saidindicating means and holder being movable toward the operatingmechanism, .and means for arresting the movement of the holder.

6. A machine of the class described, having in combination, mechanismfor operating upon a blank and means for facilitating the presentationof a blank thereto, said means comprisin a holder for the blank, meansfor proper y locating the blank in the holder. said locating means andholder being movable toward the operating mechanism, and means forarresting first the movement of the locating means and thereafter themovement of the holder.

7 A machine of the class described, having in combination, mechanism foroperating upon a blank and means for facilitating the presentation of ablank thereto, said means comprising a holder for the blank, a guide forproperly locating the blank in the holder in accordance with acharacteristic of said blank, said guide and holder being g -movabletoward the operating mechanism,

and means for arresting first the movement of the guide and thereafterthe movement of the holder.

.9. A machine of the class described, havmovable in unisonalong thesupport toward the operating mechanism as well as with respect to eachother, and means for arresting the movement first of one and then of theother member.

10. A machine of the class described, having in combination, mechanismfor operating upon a blank, and means for facilitating presentation of ablank thereto, said means comprising a holder movable toward saidmechanism, means for arresting the movement'of the holder at apredetermined point, and means whereby the location of the blank in theholder may be varied to vary the locality of the blank upon which themechanism will operate.

11. A machine of the class described, having in combination, mechanismfor operating upon a blank and means for facilitating the presentationof a blank thereto, said means comprising a support, a holder for theblank slidable along the support, means for locating the blank in theholder, said locating means being in front of the holder and being alsoslidable along the support, yielding means for normally maintaining theholder spaced from the locating means and means for arresting thelocating means when it has been advanced a predetermined distance alongthe support, the yielding means then permitting further advance of theholder.

12. A machine of the class described, having in combination, mechanismfor operating upon a blank and means for facilitating the presentationof a blank thereto, said means comprising a support, a holder for theblank slidable along the support,-a guide for 10- cating the blank inthe-holder, said guide being in front of the holder and being alsoslidable along the support, yielding means for normally maintaining theholder spaced from the guide, and means for arresting the uide when ithas been advanced a predetermined distance along' the support, theyielding means then permitting further advance of the holder. 1

13. A machine of the class described, having in combination, means foroperating upon a blank and means for facilitating presentation of ablank thereto, said means com prising a blank holder, means for locatingthe blank in the holder, a supgort along which the locating means andhol advanced toward the operating mechanism,

er may be till means for arresting the advance of the cating means whilepermitting further advance of the holder, and means whereby the extentof the advance of the holder after the arresting of the locating meansmay be varied.

14:. A machine of the class described, having in combination, means foroperating upon a blank and means forfacilitating presentation of a blankthereto, said means comprising a blank holder, a guide for locating theblank in the holder, .a support along which the guide and holder may beadvanced toward the operating mechanism, means for arresting the advanceof the guide While permitting further advance of the holder, and meanswhereby the extent of the advance of the holder after the arresting ofthe guide may be varied.

v 15. A machine of the class described, having in combination, punchingmechanism and -means for facilitating presentation thereto of a vampcomprising a vamp support marked to facilitate the location of the vampwidthwise of the support, a guide to facilitate the location of the vamplength= wise of the support, a carrier for the guide slidably mounted onthe support, a vamp holder slidably mounted on the support and spacedfrom the guide carrier, a yielding connection between the carrier andthe hold er, a stop located in the path of the guide carrier, and meanswhereby the space between the carrier and the holder may be adjusted tovary the distance which the vamp will be moved after the guide carrierhas engaged the stop. 7

16. A device for facilitating presentation of a blank to ope'ratingmechanism so constructed that the portion of the blank to be operatedupon is not visible to the operator when the blank is in position to beoperated upon, comprising a blank holder movable from a position inwhich the blank held therein is in full view of the operator toward theoperating mechanism, and means for accurately locating the blank in theholder.

17. A machine for operating upon sheet stock having, in combination, adie, a platen, a holder for pieces of sheet stock of dif-,

ferent character to be operated upon, said holder being movable topresent the stock between the die and the platen, means for arrestingthe movement of the holder when a piece of sheet stock has reached aposition dependent upon a characteristic of the stock, and means tocause relative motion of thedie and the platen to operate upon the pieceof sheet stock.

18. A perforating machine having, in combination, a punch, a punchblock, means to cause relative perforating movement of the punch andpunch block, a holder for engaging opposite faces of a blank to beperfoperforating relation to the punch and punch block, means forarresting the movement of the holder when the blank has reached aposition dependent upon a characteristic of said blank, and means forreciprocating the punch block to perforate the blank.

20. A perforating machine having, in combination, a punch, a punchblock, a holder for a blank. to be perforated movable towards and intooperative relation to the punch and punch block, a. stop for arrestingthe movement of the holder at a predetermined point, means whereby thelocation of the blank in the holder may be varied to vary the localityof the perforating upon the blank, and means for causing relativemovement of thexpunch and punch block to perforate the blank.

21. A machine for perforating blanks having perforating means comprisinga gang punch and a punch block, a holder for engaging opposite faces ofa blank to be perforated, said perforating means and holder beingarranged for relative movement in a direction to present blanks inoperative relation to the punch and punch block, and means for arrestingsaid relative movement when the blank is in operative relation to theperforating means.

22. A machine for perforating-blanks having, in combination, perforatingmeans, a holder for a blank to be perforated, saidv perforating meansand holder being arranged for relative movement in a direction topresent blanks in operative relation to the perforating means, means forgaging the position of a blank in the holder in accordance with acharacteristic of said blank, and a stop for arresting said relativemovement when the blank is in operative relation to the perforatingmeans.

23. A machine for ornamentally perforating Vamps in a desired locality,having, in

locate the vamp initially while free and clear of the die and thereafterto carry the vamp to a position in which thedie is opposite the desiredlocality of the vamp- 24. A machine for ornamentally perforating Vampsin a desired locality having, in combination, a punch block, aperforating die for ornamenting a van 1p, and mechanism for presentingthe vamp in a predetermined position between :the punch block and thedie, said mechanism comprising a carrier 7 5 on which the vamp isinitially positioned While free and clear of the die and an adjustableguide member for locating the vamp HARRY R. STANBON.

